Exciting News!

Okay, I am so excited I can hardly stand it. My awesome friend, Nava, is starting a blog today. The picture I am sharing here is from her first post. Please hop over HERE and check her out.

 I think you will absolutely love her photography. I have shared quite a few things of hers in the past but she is getting better and better all the time. It seems that she has an incredible ability to capture God's most intricate beauty. Two favors I would ask of you--would you kindly consider becoming a follower of hers and would you kindly consider giving her a little "shout out" on your blog?

She is a wonderful person who loves Jesus with all her heart and I want her to be encouraged in this endeavor today. Thank you for your beauty.

© all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted

Good morning dear friends, hope your holiday was everything you dreamed it would be.

 We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Just one person missing--my DIL, Kim, was in bed sick. She did get to cook with us all day on Thursday but had to miss Friday, the day we actually celebrated together.  To us the particular day doesn't matter so much--it is when we can all be together--and that was Friday.

 Before we ate, we formed a circle--14 strong--and told what we were thankful for. Of course with it being the first Thanksgiving since the death of my nephew, it was a very emotional one--many tears--but good tears--and the smiles and recollections of all our blessings certainly trumped the tears.

After lunch our whole family went to Michael's house to watch our precious piggies from the University of Arkansas play LSU. We got beaten, badly, and our hearts were broken about that but it is just a game and there will be other years.

 I usually mess something up (recipe wise) every year but this year everything was really good. My dressing was especially good--I bought new spices this year--I think I will do this from now on--I usually keep my spices at least 2 or 3 years--and the flavors were out of this world. It was the best I've ever made in my humble opinion.

I used a recipe for my cranberry sauce that called for orange juice instead of water--it was terrible at first and I spent the whole day trying to rescue it cause I had used two whole bags of cranberries. In the long run, I think I did save it because I ate quite a bit of it and normally I barely touch the sauce--ha ha--no pun intended. To try to overcome the orange juice taste, I added tiny bits of allspice and nutmeg and apples, pecans and celery. After it set for a day or so, it was wonderful.

I tried Paula Deen's homemade mac' and cheese and I did not care for it. Some of the others really liked it but not me. I used sharp cheddar with some pepper jack. Loved the pepper jack but will replace the sharp with colby or some other kind next time.

I didn't make turkey this year--we had Petit Jean peppered ham. And if you have never had a Petit Jean peppered ham, let me just say, I'm feeling sorry for you about now. It is incredibly wonderful.

We also had corn pudding (from the Cotton Country--Monroe, Louisiana, cookbook), green bean casserole, creamed potatoes (yum-in the crock pot with sour cream and cream cheese added), yams, pecan pie, lemon ice box pie, and rolls.

The yams were the best I've ever had also--got the recipe from a friend--I baked them in the oven a day ahead (baked them-- not boiled-- so they would carmelize)--made a sauce of 1 cup sugar, 1 cup butter and 1 cup karo nut syrup. Cooked them in the crock pot for several hours with the sauce.

Our kids from Tulsa stayed until Saturday morning and helped us get the tree up and decorated. They had to drive through quite a bit of heavy rain but got back to Tulsa all safe and sound.

Thank you, Lord, for a wonderful time with family and for your hand of protection over all of our children and grandchildren. We do not take this lightly, Lord. Our hearts are full of gratitude to you.
© all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted

A Poem for the Prisoner

The post today is dedicated to all of you who have someone who won't be spending Thanksgiving with you this year because of imprisonment of one sort or the other.

The day I wrote this poem, my heart was hurting for an acquaintance who had gone to prison. I had just driven over the top of a hill and the steeple of a beautiful white church was draped against a blazing autumn sky.

The steeple pointed my mind straight to the God of the Universe who cares about my every thought. These are the words that came to me. I realized later that this poem could just as well describe the person who is locked in spiritual, mental, emotional, addictive situtations, or as one reader pointed out in a comment on the original post, even in their own neighborhoods.

 As I topped the rise this late Autumn morn, 

 I saw a sight—my heart stood still 

 For there in majesty rose on that hill 

 A church, a steeple, a life reborn. 

 How does a person walking free 

 Express in words the colors seen 

 The blazing reds and fading green 

 To a person behind bars who cannot see? 

 I want my eyes to see for all, 

 My heart to express in words the artistry, 

 The myriad hues of God’s tapestry, 

 To see for those who saw before their fall. 

 I want my heart to feel for those 

 Who barbed-wire now a prisoner makes 

 I want to comfort for Jesus' sake, 

The broken-hearted one who feels enclosed. 

 Please know that if for just one day 

 I would give my eyes for you to see 

 I’d give my liberty for you to be 

 Among society—walking free! 

 The sights you’d see, they would astound, 

 And you in words could portray to me 

 In vivid scenes that I could never see 

 Just how beautiful your life—now found!

© all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted
comments off for the weekend
relax and enjoy
comments will be back on next week

I love you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I think this will be the third year in a row I have posted this--guess it will become a tradition!

Fighting the Good Fight of Faith

Shortly after my mother died thirteen years ago, my husband told me he was going out of town for three days.

Seeking to know God more intimately and the consolation of His Peace, I chose to take off work for three days in order to sing and pray, fast and study God's Word. I needed additional strength. For by that time, I had been praying for my sons--and then my sons and their wives--and then my sons and their wives and families for thirty-two years.

But while I was doing that I also knew my mom was involved in my life-long quest of faithful prayer for those I love most. When she died, some of my strength seemed to die with her. I say "seemed" for it really didn't--that was just my perception, my weakness, my grief and mourning taking hold robbing me of faith and spiritual stamina.

Over the course of three days, I kept praying for a "Word from God." At the end of that time, the Words that kept coming to my mind, to my heart, to my Spirit were "take up the mantle."

The only thing I could interpret that to mean was to "take up the mantle of prayer" that my mom had lain down upon her earthly passing.

It is seldom that I miss a day praying for my family, but it seems for quite sometime--months I will guess--I haven't been as fervent in my prayers for them--I knew I was letting up on my "watch." The nights can grow cold and long for watchman. If they are not prepared, sleep can descend when they are least expecting it. I did not and do not want to "go to sleep on the job."

 Saturday night my husband and I went to a Chili Cook-Off to benefit Renewal Ranch, the new FREE ministry my husband and I are involved in, to benefit men with addictions.

I did not know I was going to be working, but I ended up working the T-shirt sales booth. There I met a man who was looking for a t-shirt for his son. We didn't have his size in stock but the man would not give up on finding one to fit him.

 In the course of our conversation, he told me all about his son, a very sad situation. He got tears in his eyes as he talked and made this statement, "Don't ever give up praying for your family."

I took that, and told my new friend so, as a direct Word from God. Not that I didn't already know it, for in fact God had hammered home this point to me years before. But, it was a fresh Word, a new Word, validating what He had placed upon my heart many, many years before.

"Do not grow weary in your well-doing, for in due time you will reap a reward if you faint not." Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."  Galatians 6:9 

In this month of thanksgiving, I want to share a note I found today. I haven't seen or read this in many years, probably about ten because that is how old the sweet daughter is to whom my son is referring.

When God promises us reward, I think something like this could be part of what He is alluding to. He knows we need tangible results to our labor and chooses to reward us with those at times. I would not trade this card and sentiment for anything in the world.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16b (Our righteousness comes by exchanging garments with Christ--His spotless snow-white robe for our garments of sin, sorrow and despair)

But more than these tangible, earthly rewards, we have eternal rewards stored up in Heaven for us that angels are singing about at this very moment. Someday we will have the privilege of laying them all at the feet of Jesus, for He deserves all the glory.

He is the ONLY reason I have been faithful in even the smallest areas of my life. I can take no credit. The fact that I was close to fainting in my well-doing was no news to God. He used a man at a Chili Cook-Off to speak encouraging words to me. He meets us right where we are when we are serious about His Kingdom.

It is my prayer that God will meet you right where you are today, that your heart will be encouraged and your will renewed to fight the good fight of faith and prayer for your family.

edited repost from past pages

Wearing Forgiveness Like A Crown

Would you take a moment and consider this: A person, any person, wearing a crown--whether it be an 18 year old newly crowned Miss America, a 70 year old queen of a country, a newly crowned 30 year old king of small nation, a 6 year old celebrating her birthday, or a 100 year old queen of the nursing home who has outlived all of her peers and celebrating a century of life--

 What is the demeanor?

 What is the posture?

 What is the expression on the face?

 When considering this, I could not think of one instance where there was a sad demeanor, dejected posture, or a hang-dog expression on one's face. All I could recall in my mind's eye was a cheerful, gracious demeanor, posture that spoke of self worth and a beautiful expression of life on a contented face. I'm sure there are exceptions but I don't remember any.

I trade these ashes in for beauty,                                              And wear forgiveness like a crown, Coming to kiss the feet of mercy, I lay every burden down.

Sunday in church as we sang the song above, the second line hit me hard.


How often have I sinned, asked forgiveness, God forgave me and yet I have moped around dejected because I had failed once again?

From Clarke commentary on the Bible we read:

As far as the east is from the west - As the east and the west can never meet in one point, but be for ever at the same distance from each other, so our sins and their decreed punishment are removed to an eternal distance by his mercy.

Have you let a grievous sin from years ago (that has been forgiven) continue to dominate your thinking and your actions?  I would encourage you today to accept the freedom that only comes from God.  Satan is a dream thief but God is a dream maker.

When we delight in Him, our wildest dreams will be rooted in what He wants for us.  He wants us to realize those dreams, to walk in fullness and wholeness, holding our head high in humbleness, wearing His forgiveness like a crown that we will one day lay at His feet. 


Please join with me today in kissing those feet of mercy and laying every burden down.
© all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted
Photo taken at Renewal Ranch by one of "our guys."

the red kettle

I read something recently that saddened me to a great degree. It contained language that strongly suggested, if not outright said, that the Salvation Army did not help or care for people who were of a different persuasion on beliefs that differed with theirs.

 These beliefs are listed on The Salvation Army website under About Us, What We Believe, Position Statements. They have listed their beliefs (and given scripture on almost every one of them) on abortion, alcohol and drugs, economic justice, euthanasia, gambling, homosexuality, human equality, human trafficking, marriage, pornography, religious persecution and suicide.

I personally have never known the Salvation Army to ask a person's position or beliefs on any of these subjects before they reach out a helping hand. The person writing said they would walk by "the red kettles" this year due to the Army's stance on certain ones of those listed.

I have not given much to the Salvation Army in recent years.  We cannot give to all and I have my favorite charities that I give to at Christmas.

However, after reading the bad rap that the S.A. got and seeing all the people who responded saying they would also walk on by, I will be stopping by the red kettle much more often this year.  And since I will not be shopping as much this year as in the past, (knee) I will stop by that kettle online.  Here is a link to donate.  I hope you will prayerfully consider righting a wrong that has been leveled towards The Salvation Army.

Maybe in some small way I can help make up for the people who are not stopping by the red kettle this year.

As Christians who profess the love of God towards our fellow man, we should always be willing to reach out a helping hand (not talking about enabling here--that is another whole subject) to those in need no matter their personal beliefs or how much we agree or disagree with them.

But it is certainly sad when Christians are accused of not caring for or providing for the needy because we disagree with their lifestyle or their choices.

Oh Father, I pray that I will never base helping someone upon their beliefs.  Give me Your heart to minister to the broken, the downtrodden, the poor, the hungry, the destitute, the unloved, the unlovely, may my heart be Your heart, break my heart for what breaks Yours.  Amen



© all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted

Weekend Worship at Central Baptist, Conway, AR

 Clap your hands all ye nations;

Shout to God with cries of joy.

How awesome is the Lord most High, 

the great King over all the Earth!

He subdued nations under us,

peoples under our feet,

He chose our inheritance for us,

the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.

God has ascended amidst shouts of joy,

the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets,

Sing praises to God, sing praises;

Sing praises to our King, sing praises.

For God is King of all the earth;

Sing to him a psalm of praise.

God reigns over the nations;

God is seated on his holy throne.

The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, 

For the kings of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted.

Psalm 47 NIV

He is greatly exalted!

© all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted

A Mosaic

'Afew days ago I walked along the edge of the lake and was treated to the crunch and rustle of leaves with each step I made. The acoustics of this season are different and all sounds, no matter how hushed, are as crisp as autumn air." Eric Sloane

"A woodland in full color is awesome as a forest fire, in magnitude at least, but a single tree is like a dancing tongue of flame to warm the heart."  Hal Borland

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all."  Stanley Horowitz

"How beautifully the leaves grow old.  How full of light and color their last days."
John Burroughs

"You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance." Psalm 65:11

© 2008-2011 all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted

Her Heart's In South America

Last night I got a telephone call from one of my granddaughters with a request. She wanted me to proofread an essay she had written for the college she has chosen to attend. After reading it, I wanted to save it for posterity's sake (yea, this is my scrapbook) and also share it with you. I hope it blesses you.

My heart is in South America.  More specifically, Asuncion, Paraguay.  I am in love with the country and the language, but it is the people who have stolen my heart.   It all began the summer after my ninth grade year when I took a trip which would unknowingly change my life forever.  I traveled on a mission trip to Asuncion and have returned to Paraguay two more times since then.  Each of the trips has led me to new places and new friends.  I have tried new foods and have seen new things.  But, the point of our trips was ministry, and each time we have served others.  Our group’s main activity was an eyeglasses ministry.   In the small villages of Paraguay, many of the people who are visually impaired do not have access to a doctor or cannot afford to purchase glasses themselves.  We visited these locations, our doctors tested their eyes, and we gave them free glasses according to their needs.  Each year we have handed out hundreds of pairs of prescription eyeglasses and even more reading glasses.  I remember one man in particular who began to cry while telling us how thankful he was.  As a carpenter by trade, his work had become very difficult for him because of his increasingly bad eye sight.  He was so happy that he would be able to work again.    To experience the excitement and gratitude of these people when their vision is restored is truly amazing!  However, this is not the reason we travel over a thousand miles to reach them each year.  Our ultimate goal is to meet the spiritual needs of the Paraguayan people through first meeting their physical needs.  While the people are waiting to be fitted for their new glasses, which can be quite a while, we are able to speak with them about why we have come, which is to share with them about the saving grace of Jesus Christ, and pray with them about what is happening in their lives.  Meanwhile, we also hold camps for the children of the village.  We play games, sing songs, make crafts, and tell Bible stories.  The kids that I have worked with have really impacted me.  They have taught me how to be content, how to really trust, and how to love unconditionally.  I am very grateful to have been a part of their lives and for them to have been a part of mine.  I am also grateful for some of the things these trips have helped confirm in my life.  I have always thought I would like to be a teacher, but I have never been certain.  I have been encouraged by family and friends to pursue a career with a higher pay scale and I have seriously considered it.  However, on my last trip, while working with those children, it became very clear to me that educating children is what I want to do for the rest of my life.  I now feel very confident in my decision to seek a degree in early childhood education with a minor in Spanish.  Before my first trip I had taken only one year of required Spanish.  While in Paraguay, I fell in love with the language and am now in my fourth year of Spanish.  It is my desire to use my degree to make a difference in the lives of children all over the world.

Katelyn, you have made our lives so much richer. Thank you for your servant's heart. I love you and am reminded of this post dedicated to you last December.

Unraveled or Un-raveled

T

 his past Friday as we drove several hours to the funeral of the grandfather of one of our Renewal Ranch residents and saw all the "just harvested cotton" along the roadways, I couldn't help but be reminded of the slogan and song advertisers use to stress the importance of cotton in our lives--"the touch, the feel of cotton, the fabric of our lives."

 What is the touch, the feel, the fabric of my life? A Merriam Webster search of fabric harvested this definition among others--

Fabric         1. a : structure, building  b : underlying structure : framework

I especially like the "b" definition when comparing it to the "spiritual fabric" of our lives.  What is our underlying structure, our framework?  Or maybe a better question would be:

Who is our underlying structure, our framework?

What components weave together the fabric of our lives?

Belief, faith, prayer, Bible study, worship, praise, adoration, meditation, ministry--these are some of the strands that should make up the fabric of our daily Christian lives.

When Jesus is the seed of our planting and we cultivate His spirit in our daily lives, we will produce a beautiful tapestry of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

And when the moths of destruction come, our lives will remain incorruptible--unable to be unraveled by our enemy.

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,  having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.  ! Peter 1: 22, 23

In His Sanctuary

Praise the LORD.  Praise God in his sanctuary;  praise him in his mighty heavens.  Praise him for his acts of power;   praise him for his surpassing greatness.  Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,   praise him with the harp and lyre,  praise him with tambourine and dancing,   praise him with the strings and flute,  praise him with the clash of cymbals,  praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD. Psalm 150, NIV

This psalm was one that inspired the canvas above. It was done with acrylics on loose canvas.

Surrender and Praise

Last week when I was in Tulsa visiting family, my eleven year old granddaughter walked into the room and said, "Mimi, this is what I picture when I think of the word surrender."

She proceeded to fall to one knee and raise her hands instantly towards heaven. It was a beautiful posture of what should happen inside our hearts.

I grabbed my camera quickly--thinking I need to get a picture of this to use as an inspiration for a painting entitled "Surrender."

My camera was on settings from a previous night's outdoor, woodsy photo shoot--not set for indoor captures.  But I knew she was NOT doing this to be photographed by a camera--she was sharing her heart with me--a precious, once in a lifetime moment--so I went with what it was set to.

I asked her to show me what praise looks like--

She immediately stood up and reached even higher--

Today when I was reading Psalm 63 I came across this scripture and knew that I wanted to share that once in a lifetime precious moment with you.

Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise You as long as I live, and in Your name I will lift up my hands.  Psalm 63:3,4 NIV

Joining in with others at Spiritual Sundays--

The Battle is the Lord's

 This battlefield is empty now. Where once raged the ravages of war, there is an eerie stillness and quiet. The only sounds are those of the wildlife which now inhabit this hauntingly beautiful, bittersweet land.

We cannot liken this battlefield to the spiritual battlefields of our lives because our enemy never gives up, never surrenders, is ready to ambush when we least expect it.  However, the Bible gives us a strategic battle plan.

*We are to use the sword of the Spirit--the Word of God.  When satan tempted Jesus in the desert, Jesus said each time, "It is written".............and proceeded to quote passages from the Bible.

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.  Hebrews 4:12, 13

*We are to trust and cry out to God to save us.

They cried out to God in the battle. He heeded their prayer, because they put their trust in Him. 1 Chronicles 5:20 NKJV

*We are to stand firm behind the barrel of God's faithfulness, justice and wisdom.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.   Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.    Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.     And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Ephesians 6:10-18 NIV

We see from the scripture above that we are to take up the shield of faith and to pray. I think an element of praying is to praise.   We see the salvation of God in the twentieth chapter of II Chron. because the children of God obeyed him and went out singing and praising.

Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.”   After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:     “Give thanks to the LORD,    for his love endures forever.”   As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.  portions of 2 Chron 20

This post is much longer than I had intended for it to be.  But if even one of you has a battle in your life today and is helped by this, I am grateful.

I guess what I want to know and want you to be reminded of is this:  The battle is not ours.  We are not fighting flesh and blood but powers and principalities--our battle is spiritual and God wants to fight it for us.

Rest in Him today, dear friend, knowing that He is going out ahead of us and will conquer every enemy of ours if we let Him.

Photos:  taken at Pea Ridge National Military Park, November, 2011

For Lonesome Backroads . . . . .

For lonesome backroads

that lead to winding trails strewn with leaves more alive on former days but more brilliant now,

I am thankful.

For friends of many years whose passions have gone the direction of mine and who love to explore those backroads,

I am thankful.

May we be more brilliant and alive in the sunset of our lives than ever before.
May our passions and thanksgiving grow to new heights.
May we give back a portion of the great love we have been given.

Happy Monday, dear friends.  May your week hold special joys as mine did last week.
These scenes are from beautiful Northwest Arkansas, Pea Ridge National Military Park, a battle site of the Civil War.

He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Psalm 23:3 Thank you Lord for restoring my soul and for guiding me down these memorable paths last week.